HOLLY HILL, Fla. – A Volusia County police department is offering free steering wheel locks in response to reports of Hynudai and Kia vehicles being stolen, possibly part of an ongoing viral social media trend.
Holly Hill police said its department and neighboring law enforcement agencies have received reports of Hyundais and Kias thefts and attempted thefts.
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“There is a Tik Tok social media video geared to teenagers and young adults encouraging them to steal certain model Hyundai’s and Kia’s, and then hide them in plain sight,” a news release issued by police shows.
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To receive a free steering wheel lock, you must show proof of Holly Hill residency and bring the vehicle with you.
According to the release, the make and model will be verified by a police staff member on site. They announced that a limited amount of steering locks are available and you can visit the website here to verify that your vehicle is qualified as being vulnerable.
If you meet these requirements, or would like to know more information, please contact Holly Hill police Sgt. Tom Bentley at 386-248-9478 to schedule an appointment.
In February, News 6 reported that Hyundai and Kia were rolling out software updates to stem the raft of auto thefts related to the TikTok challenge that authorities believe has led to at least 14 reported crashes and eight fatalities.
At the time, the announcement came in response to increasing thefts targeting its vehicles without push-button ignitions and immobilizing anti-theft devices in the United States.
These social media-inspired thefts have often ended in tragedy. In October, a police commissioner said that a car crash in Buffalo, New York, that left four teenagers dead may have been linked to the social media challenge. In the incident, a total of six teenagers were in a speeding Kia that crashed, Buffalo police said. The car had been reported stolen.
And in May, Hyundai Motor America and Kia America announced they reached a settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit prompted by a surge in vehicle thefts.
The settlement could be valued at $200 million and covers about nine million 2011-2022 model year Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the U.S., the companies said.
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